Ready in under 30 minutes, this easy bacon ranch pasta salad recipe is a quick, creamy and flavorful side dish that’s perfect for any occasion. With the tangy taste of ranch, the crunch of fresh veggies, and the smokey goodness of bacon, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Why I Love This Creamy Pasta Salad
I was gifted this recipe almost 20 years ago at my first corporate job. We had office potlucks often and I was absolutely obsessed with this pasta salad from my first bite! For me, the combination of cubed cheddar cheese and salty, crispy bacon is what really sets it apart. Here’s why you’ll keep sneaking bites before it ever leaves the kitchen:
- Quick and Easy: Prepare this creamy pasta salad recipe in just 30 minutes.
- Potluck Favorite: This bacon ranch pasta salad can be made ahead and serves 10, but could easily be doubled for a party or larger gathering.
- Craveable Flavors: Smoky bacon, creamy ranch dressing, and lovely cheese cubes deliver a robust, savory flavor explosion from the first bite to the last!
- Simple Ingredients: This easy macaroni salad comes together with inexpensive ingredients, many of which you may already have on hand.
If you need easy, portable salads, check out my light and fresh Greek pasta salad. My tuna pasta salad and this dill pickle pasta salad receive rave reviews, too. All three are ready in 30 minutes or less!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this easy bacon ranch pasta salad recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Pasta: Choose an any short pasta meant to hold sauce. Elbow macaroni, bowtie, or penne will all work great. Do not over cook your noodles or the salad will become soggy quickly!
- Ranch: An envelope of dry, ranch seasoning mix gives big, bold savory flavor. You do not want to use prepared ranch dressing!
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese pairs so well with bacon, but you could substitute your favorite semi-soft cheese like Colby jack or Swiss. I highly recommend using cubes of cheese, it adds a great textural element!
How to Make Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
With little time spent boiling the noodles, this easy bacon ranch pasta salad recipe comes together in just about 20 minutes. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video!
- Boil: Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Let cool completely.
- Make the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ranch packet mix, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Add cooked and drained pasta to the dressing and stir until mixture coats the pasta.
- Stir: Add in cheese, bacon, thawed green peas. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently until all ingredients look well incorporated.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy immediately at room temperature or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Pasta: Season the water before boiling by adding a couple of tablespoons of salt. This step adds needed flavor to pasta. Also, watch the time and drain al dente pasta immediately when finished cooking as directed. Overcooking causes mushy noodles that break down when mixing the other ingredients together.
- Prep Ahead: If making a day ahead, measure the mayo and sour cream generously to retain creaminess. Many people prefer to make this dish ahead so the flavors meld. When ready to serve, stir in a little extra sour cream or mayo, if needed.
- Variations: Try different semi-soft cheese cubes such as Colby jack, pepper jack, or swiss. No bacon? Feel free to add cubed leftover smoked or honey ham and add to the salad instead. You could increase the fiber and protein in the dish by using chickpea or lentil based pasta.
- Add Color: Amp up the veggie power and presentation points by adding diced purple onion and chopped red bell pepper.
- Greek Yogurt Substitute: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter option. However, I recommend not using all yogurt, you need the mayonnaise to help keep it creamy.
- Bacon Bits: For convenience, use store-bought bacon bits also work, but freshly cooked bacon really will add the best flavor.
What to Serve with Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This hearty salad makes a great light dinner or lunch, but you may want to pair it with cookout classics such as hamburgers or hot dogs. Here are a few suggestions:
- BBQ: Try my easy, hands off crockpot pulled pork or BBQ oven pulled chicken. These crockpot bbq meatballs are another crowd favorite.
- Grill: From a juicy grilled flank steak to grilled steak kabobs, both are easy to prep ahead for grilling when your guests arrive. For a lighter option, this Greek chicken souvlaki is a reader favorite!
- More Sides: When the kitchen gets hot, try my refreshing cucumber and tomato salad or tropical fruit salad! You also can’t go wrong with a batch of these epic baked beans.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
This Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad recipe is quick, easy and always a crowd pleaser! Creamy pasta salad loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, bacon, peas & ranch seasoning.
Servings 10 servings
Calories 139kcal
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) box elbow noodles
- 1 (1 oz) package ranch dip seasoning mix dry packet
- 1 (16 oz) container sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 (16 oz) block sharp or mild cheddar cheese cubed
- 1 (10 oz) bag frozen peas thawed
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water and stir so the noodles don’t stick. Let pasta cool while you prep the rest.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ranch seasoning, sour cream and mayo together until well combined. Add pasta to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Toss in cheese, peas and bacon. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Store: Store leftover pasta salad for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You may need to add a scoop of mayo or a couple of tablespoons of bottled ranch dressing, if ranch and bacon pasta salad seems a little dry. Freezing isn’t recommended for this dish. Textures and tastes of creamy dressings will change when frozen and thawed.
Prep Ahead: If making a day ahead, measure the mayo and sour cream generously to retain creaminess. Many people prefer to make this dish ahead so the flavors meld. When ready to serve, know that it might suck up some of the sauce over time, so you can add a little more sour cream, mayo or even regular ranch dressing if needed.
Greek Yogurt Substitute: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter option. However, I recommend not using all yogurt, you need the mayonnaise to help keep it creamy.
Bacon Bits: For convenience, use store-bought bacon bits also work, but freshly cooked bacon really will add the best flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 307mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
Categories:
More Easy Potluck Recipes To Try
Test Kitchen Review
See what our home cooks had to say!
Brittany
I was surprised at just how good this pasta salad is! I almost used shredded cheddar cheese instead, but I am so glad I didn’t. The cubes of cheese add a surprising amount of texture and flavor. I also made a few extra strips of bacon to crumble on top right before serving!
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